


The Dare

by MissMegara



Series: And Then There Was Him [1]
Category: Figure Skating RPF, Sports RPF
Genre: Dorks, Drama, First Kiss, Friendship, Humor, M/M, Truth or Dare
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-12
Updated: 2014-05-18
Packaged: 2018-01-24 12:18:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1604882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissMegara/pseuds/MissMegara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>\\ Yuzuru chose the dare - but the truth might be much more interesting. //</p>
<p>"It took Yuzuru only a few quick steps and suddenly he was standing right in front of Javier. He put both hands on his shoulders, leaned forward and before Javier knew what was going on, their lips touched. Javier's eyes widened while Yuzuru's were shut tightly and his fingers started to tense around the other man's shoulders. Javier's brain was still trying to understand what was happening, his body unable to react to this unexpected situation. He just stood there, doing nothing, didn't even dare to breath. All he could feel was the light pressure of Yuzuru's soft lips against his own."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Try Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This is a work of pure fiction, consisting of fictional characters living fictional lives.

As soon as Javier had stepped into his hotel room he closed the door behind himself, tossed his backpack aside and let himself fall headfirst onto the bed. His roommate surely wouldn't mind. Javier shared the hotel room with Alex this time and the guy was a total slob, as evidenced by the damn video equipment that was lying around everywhere. Javier was always willing to participate in the videos Alex and Maia made for their Vlog, but the guy really needed to learn how to keep his stuff together. It looked like someone had tried to rob the place.

It had been a very long day for Javier, but this was only one of many long days in a row. After a while those ice shows always took a toll on him, and for now there was still no light at the end of this hellish tunnel. But it was not only his body that was overwrought. His mind was just as useless. He'd been preoccupied for weeks and his mood had been abysmal, to say the least. It didn't exactly help his skating that his body and his mind were both giving out at the same time. The whole week he hadn't been able to land one single quad in the shows. He barely could do them in practice. Tonight he had finally given up and just tripled the damn jump on purpose. What did he care if people came to see him do those frigging quads. The audience could only kiss his ass when he wasn't busy falling on it.

Javier was exhausted, all he wanted to do was sleep. Maybe he should just keep lying here, taking a shower and changing his clothes seemed like way too much extra work at the moment. But then, just when he was on the brink of dozing off, there was a knock at the door. "Who is it?" he angrily grunted into the sheets without lifting his head even an inch. There was no answer from outside, only another faint knock. Javier slid down the side of the bed and practically crawled to the door before he finally found it in himself to stand up straight. "Alex, I swear if you have lost your key card again I'm going to..." But it wasn't Alex. When Javier opened the door he was greeted by two bright dark eyes and a shy smile. "Oh, hey Yuzu. What's up?"

"I disturb you?" he asked a bit hesitant and with a seriously weird look on his face.

"Actually I... no, you know what, come in." Javier left the door open, took his bag from the floor and walked back to the bed. "Maybe you can keep me awake for another five minutes and maybe I will take that shower after all." Javier pulled dirty laundry out of his backpack and just threw it anywhere into the already existing chaos. When he looked over his shoulder he saw Yuzuru still standing in the hallway in front of the open door. "Are you coming in?"

Yuzuru looked at Javier like he had to think about that suggestion for another second, but finally he took the last step over the door sill and closed the door behind himself. Javier was too tired to take a greater interest into this slightly weird behavior.

"I shouldn't even bother with taking a shower, the whole room already stinks like a garbage dump. Alex has the leftovers from last night's dinner stashed on his nightstand, not to mention all the other crap that's..." Javier turned around again when there was nothing but silence behind him. Yuzuru still leaned against the door, his stare fixed on the floor, not moving a muscle he didn't need to keep breathing and standing upright. Javier got a little worried. It was not like him to just stand still and - worst of all - be so quiet. Normally Yuzuru was like a talking machine gun that could only be stopped by a gag. "What's up, did you want something from me?" Javier finally asked and came closer towards Yuzuru. "Everything okay with you?"

Javier froze in the middle of his step when Yuzuru's head abruptly shot up and his eyes focused on Javier's face. He didn't really know how to interpret this look. He seemed somewhat scared but there was also this determination in Yuzuru's eyes that Javier knew oh so well. It was the same look his friend always got when he was facing a challenge but fully intended on going through with whatever he had to do. It took Yuzuru only a few quick steps and suddenly he was standing right in front of Javier. He put both hands on his shoulders, leaned forward and before Javier knew what was going on, their lips touched. Javier's eyes widened while Yuzuru's were shut tightly and his fingers started to tense around the other man's shoulders. Javier's brain was still trying to understand what was happening, his body unable to react to this unexpected situation. He just stood there, doing nothing, didn't even dare to breath. All he could feel was the light pressure of Yuzuru's soft lips against his own. 

After a few seconds Yuzuru pulled away, took a huge step backwards and silently looked at Javier, who could do nothing but stare back at him. Suddenly the expression on Yuzuru's face changed, he smacked his hands together in front of his chest, bowed his head and muttered repeatedly, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

The foggy feeling in Javier's head slowly faded, his body started to come out of its daze and he put two fingers over his lips as if to check them before he could use them again to speak. "What was that?" he eventually asked very quietly but with a steady voice.

Yuzuru shifted from one foot to the other and shared a confused look with his friend. "Kana bet with me to do it," he finally said apologetically.

Javier dropped his shoulders, sighed and rolled his eyes. His confusion hat dissipated in an instant because he now knew exactly what was going on here. Yuzuru and Kanako played the weirdest version of _Truth Or Dare_ he'd ever seen. He had no idea how the rules were or if there even were any rules at all - and he absolutely didn't want to know. He wanted to be nowhere near this crazy game. Those two made each other do the stupidest things because of it and they were both rather imaginative. Once during an ice show, Yuzuru made Kanako come to a practice session wearing clown makeup. Javier had to admit that it had been a pretty hilarious sight. Although Yuzuru seemed a little disappointed with the final outcome, because Kanako was anything but embarrassed because of this, quite the opposite. She even let others take pictures of her while she made the funniest faces. Even funnier than it already looked with all those crazy colors smeared over it. So that dare hadn't worked out quite the way Yuzuru had planned. It usually didn't. Yuzuru was just way too nice a person to ask Kanako to do something that would make her feel truly bad. Unlike Kanako, that little bitch. She knew exactly how to push Yuzuru's buttons and to play their little game for maximum entertainment.

When Javier realized that Yuzuru was still bowing in front of him, stammering various apologies in both English and Japanese, he eventually snapped at him. "Oh, stop it, you're embarrassing yourself."

"I had to, Kana dared me."

"Come on, man, grow a dick already," Javier grunted indignantly to lend weight to his ever growing annoyance. "That little girl has way too much power over you. Seriously, why do you let her talk you into all that silly stuff? You sleeping with her or something?"

"What?" It took about two nanoseconds for Yuzuru's face to go blanker than a fresh sheet of paper. 

"Sex, you know... do you and her..."

"I understand sleeping with her, but question is crazy," Yuzuru blurted out. "Kana is like sister, of course I not sleep with her."

"Okay, calm down, I had to ask. With what that girl can make you do I figured you had to get a little something in return, at least..."

"Ewwww." Yuzuru's face showed a mixture of shock and disgust while he shook his head vigorously. "No, no, no, not with Kana, never, you crazy."

"Hey, man, you just kissed me because some chick dared you to. But I am the crazy one?"

"Yes, you crazy!"

"I repeat: you just kissed me!"

Yuzuru really wished that Javier would stop saying that because it started to sink in just how stupid this whole situation must look.

"You know what, forget it. I don't even want to know how Kanako gets you to do those things. It's creepy."

"I'm really sorry, Javi, I did..."

"Yes, stop it, it's getting offensive. Like kissing me could be the worst thing that has ever happened. Was it at least good for you?" Yuzuru opened his mouth to answer, but then stopped himself because he was unsure if Javier was being serious. "That's what we call a joke," Javier clarified without having been asked the question out loud. 

"You're not angry, no?" Yuzuru asked tentatively. "Because I thought maybe you..."

Javier stopped Yuzuru with a wave of his hand and sat down on the bed. "Nothing really happened, so... let's just forget about it."

"Okay, we forget but..." Again Yuzuru began to anxiously step from one foot to another. "I must ask you something."

"There's more?" Javier couldn't help but roll his eyes again. Was there ever going to be an end to this moronic situation?

"Yes, um... so, if Kana ask you..." Yuzuru's nervously kneaded his fingers. His voice had gotten very quiet and he seemed to have a harder time than usual to find the correct words in English. "If Kana ask you, maybe..."

"Sure, buddy," Javier interrupted him with a suggestive grin. "I'll tell her that you are a fantastic kisser and she should definitely try it herself sometime."

"No, don't tell her that." Yuzuru's throat produced an extremely weird growl, indicating that the idea of kissing Kanako was still pretty disturbing in his mind. "But if Kana ask if I... do it... you please tell her that we do real kiss, okay?"

Javier squinted and his eyebrows shot up. "As opposed to an unreal kiss?"

Yuzuru shook his head and one could practically see the little wheels turning behind his eyes as he was looking for the right words to explain what he meant. "It's just that Kana... she says I must do... not just kiss like child but... real kiss."

It took Javier another moment to understand since Yuzuru wouldn't stop beating around the bush, but when it finally hit him he flat out burst into laughter. "Are you serious? Kana told you to french me?"

"No! What? No French, she wants that I..."

"Yeah, I get it." Javier opened his mouth, stuck his tongue out and started to wiggle it through the air like a propeller.

Yuzuru contorted his face. He couldn't prevent a tortured squeak to break free from his chest and find its way all the way up his throat and out of his mouth. "Yes, that," he mumbled constrainedly. It made him fairly uncomfortable how Javier had managed to make kissing look like something so nasty.

All Javier had left at this point was to shake his head again. "Brilliant idea, really."

"So, if Kana ask you..." Yuzuru started anew, still trying to avoid eye contact.

"Why would she ask me?"

"I don't know, but maybe she will and... you please just tell her, okay?"

"Yeah, whatever." This whole thing started to get annoying. Javier had always tried to stay out of their shenanigans and know he'd gotten pulled into the center of this craziness. "If it makes you happy I'll tell her that you tried to stick your tongue down my throat. Anybody else I should tell? I could spread the word about your great skills, then maybe next time you will find a volunteer and don't have to spring this on me again."

"Now you make fun of me," Yuzuru said reproachfully and pursed his lips like a little child. 

"No, why would I? First you come in here and kiss me and then you want me to tell stories about this truly awesome experience. Why would I be anything but serious?" Javier almost regretted his words when he saw how Yuzuru looked bashfully at the ground with his jaw slightly trembling. But only almost. "This was kind of a half ass job anyway," he went on with his teasing. "Usually you do things either properly or you don't do them at all."

"I'm really sorry," Yuzuru mumbled almost inaudible and with a shaky voice. "I shouldn't have done that."

"Maybe." Javier sat down cross-legged on the edge of the bed and leaned forward. "But since you did it anyway, why didn't you do it the way you were supposed to? Doesn't seem like you."

Yuzuru's body tensed up and he nervously scratched his cheek with one finger while he was trying to come up with an answer. "I was just thinking of you."

"Say again?"

"I thought maybe you don't like kiss."

"Then why do it at all?"

"Because I make bet with Kana."

"Then you should've done it properly."

"But I thought you maybe not want that."

"Oh no, this is not about me. You're the one who insists on honoring even the stupidest bet. First you can't tell Kana off and then you are too much of a wuss to actually go through with your little stunt? Fine by me. But you don't get to blame this on me."

"I'm not wuss," Yuzuru replied sulkily and tried not to show his puzzlement. But the look on his face didn't hide it very well.

"You have no idea what a wuss is, do you?" Yuzuru clenched his teeth. He really didn't like it when someone pointed out his linguistic shortcomings and Javier knew this exactly, but right now he couldn't have cared less. "It means that you are a friggin' coward."

That one Yuzuru did understand and he liked it even less. "I'm no coward."

"You sure look like one."

Yuzuru started to get angry and the provoking look Javier gave him didn't exactly help. "So you want real kiss from me?"

"That's not what I said."

"Then why do you push me?" 

"Because this is your stupid bet and I won't play your fake reason to chicken out."

"Yes, it's my stupid bet," Yuzuru yelled at him. "But you need two people for kissing. What you want that I do? Jump on you and stick tongue in your mouth? I thought you maybe don't like that so much. Why you keep pushing me and make things worse?" Yuzuru didn't give Javier the chance to answer any of his questions, instead he just turned on his heel and ran out the door.

"How the hell is this now my fault?" Javier shouted although the door had already been slammed shut. And why the hell had he been harping on about this stupid kiss? For a second he considered running after Yuzuru, but then decided not to.

Javier let himself fall backwards onto the bed. He didn't even notice how his fingertips slid over his lips again and again. So what if Yuzuru had kissed him, it really wasn't a big deal. It was just a silly dare. Very silly. There was absolutely no reason to think about this any further. He shouldn't have made such a fuss about it. Javier sat up straight when the door suddenly opened and Alex walked in. 

"Was Yuzu just here?" he asked without even saying hello.

"What? No. Why? No idea. He wasn't here. Why do you ask?"

Alex stopped in the middle of his step and raised his eyebrows. "Um... okay." It was quite visible that he thought that he'd gotten in the middle of something here. "I just passed him in the hallway and he was white as a sheet."

Javier bit his lower lip. Dammit. He'd known that Yuzuru would take all this way to serious and be upset because of what he'd said to him. The guy always took everything so damn seriously.

"Hey, anybody home?" Alex snapped his fingers in front of Javier's face. "I asked if you still want to do the video with us tomorrow."

Javier hadn't even realized that his thoughts had drifted that far off. "Yes, sure," he replied quickly and tried to fake as much poise as he possibly could.

"Great. We'll have a rehearsal for the dance choreography before the official practice. So if you could be at the rink an hour early that would be great." Javier just nodded his head. Alex took off his shirt and jeans, threw both at the nearest chair and missed by about a mile. "I'll take a shower," he said as he walked into the bathroom. "You should too, man, you kinda stink."

Javier resisted the urge to throw the clock radio from the nightstand at Alex and instead just laid back down on the bed. He stared at the ceiling which was painted in a very ugly light yellow. He tried to figure out if there was some kind of logic to the pattern that was drawn into the color, but his eyes started to get heavy, so he finally just closed them. "I'm so tired. Maybe it was just a silly dream," was his last thought before he drifted off to sleep.


	2. Exposure

Javier pulled the bedcover further over his head and held on to it tightly while two strong hands were grabbing his shoulders and shaking him forcefully.

"Come on, dude, that's like the third time I try to wake you," Alex grumbled. 

"Then just stop trying, no one asked you to."

Alex threw his hands up and went back to sorting his video equipment. Javier couldn't go back to sleep but he absolutely refused to leave this bed even one minute sooner than absolutely necessary. When Alex was done packing his bag, he made another attempt to get Javier out of bed.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty, you need me to kiss you awake or something?"

"Get in line," Javier grunted into his pillow and turned around.

"What was that?"

"I said go away." Going away certainly would've been one option, but Alex instead opted to let himself fall onto Javier, who immediately started screaming at the top of his voice. "Get off me!"

Alex almost lost his balance and only just made it back on his feet when Javier pushed him away forcefully. "Okay, relax. What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I share the room with the wrong sibling for this kind of crap, that's wrong."

"Hey, watch it." Alex looked down on him with a warning glance. "And since when are you so sensitive about physical contact? Usually you're a regular hugging-machine."

"Just get away from me, okay?"

"Someone's in a great mood today."

"Maybe that's because I'm surrounded by assholes who try to get to first base without permission." Fortunately for him he had muttered that last sentence in Spanish, so Alex didn't really catch what he was talking about.

"I see we've entered the Spanish part of your disorder. I give up." Alex shrugged, put on his jacket and took his bag from the table. "Are you still coming to the rink later so we can rehears for the video?"

"Yes, I will be there for your stupid video. Now go away."

Alex just rolled his eyes and left without another word. Javier had been Mr. Mood-Swing for weeks now and Alex knew that there was nothing he could say to get on his good side - assuming there still was a good side. All he could do right now was walk away and leave him be.

Reluctantly Javier finally crawled out from under the covers and went into the bathroom to take the much needed shower he'd skipped the night before. The cold water pelted down much too hard on his face but he didn't change the setting. The cold would wake him up for good and maybe the hard jet of water could serve as the bitch slap that he obviously needed. Javier himself didn't know what was wrong with him. Usually he was the most easy-going guy in the world but lately he was such a complete nuisance, he had no idea why people were still talking to him at all. He kept standing in the shower for a few more minutes, feeling the cold water run down his body, trying to let his mind go blank. But it didn't. He wished that he could simply erase the last night, but he had a bad feeling that this little incident with Yuzuru wouldn't just disappear into thin air.

Javier had just arrive at the rink when he ran into Alex in the hallway, who was against all odds actually delighted to see him. "Oh good, you made it on time."

"I said I would be here, didn't I?" Javier immediately snapped at him.

"Okay man, I got it, you're in a bad mood. But could you maybe not rip my head off for every single thing that I say?"

Javier bit his lips and dropped his gaze. "Sorry," he said as calmly as possible. "I'll go change and be there in a minute." When Javier entered the men's dressing room, the first and only thing he saw was Yuzuru who was sitting on one of the benches right in front of him. "Oh... hey... I didn't expect you here so early." He tried to be as casual as possible, but the continuous stammering and that subtle shake in his voice didn't exactly support his faked showing of confidence.

"I know. I don't plan to be here." Yuzuru also made every effort to appear as nonchalant as humanly possible, but he didn't have much more success than his pale friend who was still standing at the door sill. "Alex ask me this morning to do video because somebody got sick."

"I see..."

There was an awkward silence in the air and they both tried not to be too obvious in their attempts to avoid each other's stare. Javier walked past Yuzuru, put his backpack in one of the lockers and pulled out his training clothes. When Javier took off his shirt, Yuzuru cleared his throat and said, "Maybe I just go to the others and leave you alone." He had already reached the door when Javier called him back. 

"Yuzu, come on, this is silly," he sighed and threw his shirt aside. "We were both just being idiots last night. I don't want this to be weird."

Yuzuru looked at him almost ruefully. "You no longer mad at me?"

"I wasn't mad, I was... come on, I didn't really see that coming yesterday, so maybe you could cut me some slack." Javier had definitely been spending way too much time with Alex lately. He was dropping colloquialisms left and right, although he knew exactly that Yuzuru didn't understand half of them. The current look on his face made that more than clear. "I wasn't mad," he tried to explain in different words. "But you surprised me with this and..." He really had no idea what exactly he wanted to say. "Look, I'm just tired. And when I'm tired I get testy, you know that."

Hesitantly Yuzuru let go of the door handle and sat back down on the bench, still keeping his distance from Javier. "Okay, I wait for you," he said with an obviously forced smile and moved away a little further.

Javier changed into his training clothes and locked his bag away before he sat back down next to Yuzuru. "You okay?" he asked casually while he slipped into his skates and bent down to tie them up. But when a very quiet "Yes" was the only answer he'd get, he slightly turned his head and looked up at him. "You know we're good, right? This doesn't have to be awkward." Yuzuru only nodded. Javier finished tying his skates and sat up straight again. "Okay, it's creepy when you're this silent. Can you please just talk to me?"

"What you want that I say?"

"I don't know. Normal stuff. You always talk. You're not able to shut up. And now I get barely a whole sentence out of you." Yuzuru didn't have an answer and the frown on his face only seemed to get more serious. "Let's just go," Javier finally said, patting his thigh before he stood up and walked out the door. Yuzuru followed him slowly, still being uncharacteristically silent and reserved. They had just passed the ladies' changing room when they first heard a door open behind them and shortly after a very familiar voice echoed in honeyed tones through the hallway. 

"Ohhhh myyyy, hello you two."

Javier closed his eyes, took a deep breath and desperately forced a smile onto his face. "Hello, Kanako," he said as calmly as possible while turning around. "How are you today? Already pissed anybody off this morning?" Okay, so that didn't come out quite the way he had planned.

Kanako didn't even care a little about this insult and instead decided to annoy Javier some more. "You two have alone time in changing room?" she giggled. "Pretty boy finally made his move on you, yes?"

"What the hell is wrong with you? And by the way, you can stop with your annoying-bitch-act, he already made his move yesterday."

"Yes, he tells me. But I don't believe him."

"Believe me, he did."

Kanako was still snickering and pointed with both index fingers at them. "Liar liar, pants on fire."

"What are you, like eight years old?" For the first time in his life Javier felt the need to slap a girl.

"You must looooosen up!" Kanako made a deep knee bend while she kept giggling like crazy. "You just need real kiss from our special boy," she said with a nod in Yuzuru's direction. "Might help with tension."

"Thank you, I can handle my tension just fine. There was no need to pull me into this."

"But I wanted to do you favor," she insisted and looked mighty proud of herself. "Because you have no longer girlfriend. I think maybe you need a little love."

Without warning Javier put both arms around her waist and pulled her close. "You offering?" he whispered in her ear before Kanako could free herself from the unwanted embrace.

"Eww, no!" she shrieked and stumbled a few steps backwards.

"Eww? Seriously?" Kanako reacted neither to Javier's indignation nor his angry glances but instead just walked away, exchanging a few words in Japanese with Yuzuru before she disappeared. "And you were a big help here, thanks a lot," Javier now snarled at Yuzuru. "What did she say?"

Yuzuru scratched his ear and once again tried to avoid eye contact. "Um, she... she said she now really don't believe I kiss you because... um... I don't know words."

"Spit it out, your bad-English-routine doesn't work on me."

Yuzuru made a grunting noise and was now busy scratching his nose. "She said you clearly didn't get any since break-up and I must get on with the kissing, because maybe then you won't be so bitchy anymore."

"Did you just call me bitchy?"

"No, Kana did," Yuzuru replied totally serious but with the sweetest smile while he pointed in the direction of the empty hallway.

Javier wanted to say something but he couldn't hold back his laughter anymore. The sight of his puppy-eyed friend who finally had a genuine smile on his face again was just too much for him to handle. They walked down to the rink in silence, stepped onto the ice together and skated over to the already waiting group of other skaters. They were still standing a bit secluded from the others when Kanako came over. She skated around them in close circles and started to sing, "Yuzu and Javi, sittin' in a tree..." And with a manic giggle she was already gone again.

Yuzuru held Javier back by the arm because he knew that he was about to go after her. "I'm going to kill her," Javier grunted and moved further away from Yuzuru.

"Okay everybody!" Alex was ready to start his first dry run. "We'll use the choreography from the first group number, you all know what you have to do. I just need to check how I can fit you all into the picture." He positioned his camera and gave everybody instructions where they should or shouldn't stand. "Javi, Yuzu, you two need to move much closer together, please." 

"See," Kanako blurted out in Japanese, "Alex also thinks you two should be much closer. Told you so."

Javier didn't understand a word but if Yuzuru's face was anything to go by, Kanako had just made yet another stupid insinuation. Javier wanted to strangle her. He could barely suppress the urge to knock her off her feet whenever he passed her during the program. The only thing that held him back was Yuzuru's pleading stare, asking him to just let it go. And he did. For the moment. Somehow Javier made it through Alex's rehearsal without killing anybody, but he decided to skip the practice afterwards and just went back to the changing room. He had the room to himself since the others were all at the rink for the practice session. Javier didn't care. He sat down on the bench in front of his locker and let his head sink onto his knees. What the hell was wrong with him? It shouldn't be such a big deal, he shouldn't be so upset because of this.

"You okay?"

Javier almost fell off the bench when he suddenly realized that Yuzuru was sitting directly next to him. "Dios mío! Where did you come from?"

"You don't hear me?"

Javier was about to snap at him again for asking an obviously stupid question, but he stopped himself. "I'm going to kill her, I mean it," he answered instead.

"No, you won't, you're too nice." Yuzuru caressed Javier's back with one hand, and the look on his face almost made Javier forget why he was so angry.

"You really need to get away from that girl. She's evil."

"No, she's not," Yuzuru smirked.

"She kinda is. Why else would she chose me of all people for your little kissing stunt?"

Yuzuru's smile rapidly faded, he turned his face away and looked down on the ground. "Kana don't want to be evil with this idea, she just has... strange sense of humor. I think maybe she wants to be nice."

"She what?" Javier raised his eyebrows while he tried to look at Yuzuru's face to perhaps find some kind of hint there as to what he was talking about. But he still had his head turned so far away that Javier could barely see his jawline. "I don't get it, how was this supposed to be nice?" It was freakishly quite in this usually very busy room, so quiet that Javier began to notice the sound of his own breathing.

"I maybe tell Kana that I worry about you," Yuzuru finally answered almost in a whisper. "After break-up with Cortney you always get so angry." He took a deep breath and made a very long pause which felt almost more uncomfortable than the silence that had been between them before. "And you always look sad. So when Kana comes up with kissing idea, she says maybe do it with somebody who needs it and... she remembers what I tell her about you. And I thought maybe..." Yuzuru tilted his head even further away. It wouldn't take much more and he would have turned it all 360°. "I thought maybe she's not wrong."

Yuzuru didn't dare to turn around and face his friend, but in the end he didn't have a choice when Javier stood up and squatted down in front of him. "Let me get this straight," he said and put both hands on Yuzuru's knees to keep his balance. "You thought I was sad about my break-up and then... you... kissed me to make me feel better?"

"You make it sound stupid on purpose."

"No, I don't. I'm just really trying to figure out what the hell you were thinking." 

"You mad at me again?"

Somehow Javier managed not to roll his eyes as that would've made things only worse. "I'm not mad," he said in his soft, soothing tone of voice. "I'm just a little confused." At least that was a feeling they both had very much in common.

"I don't know... you're always so sad and angry," he repeated himself with a shrug and almost looked like he was pouting. "I thought maybe getting kiss from somebody who really likes you can make you happy again."

Before one of them could say anything further, the door opened and someone from the local crew popped his head in. "Guys, they need you at the rink. Can I tell them that you're on your way?"

Javier looked in Yuzuru's face one last time before he stood up. "We're coming."


	3. Momentum

Javier was almost running down the hallway but Yuzuru still managed to catch up with him. "So what is problem now?" he asked walking closely behind him.

"There's no problem."

"I know look on your face, there is problem."

"Just let it go."

But he didn't want to let it go anymore. They were only one corner away from the rink when Yuzuru yanked Javier around by the shoulder. "Enough with running away," he said harshly. "That's why I don't tell you before, because you were already angry when kiss was just because of silly bet."

"Then why did you tell me?"

"Because I don't want that you blame Kana for everything. It was my decision to do that. But maybe it was stupid decision because you only get more angry at me."

"I'm not angry at..."

"You're angry at everybody!" Yuzuru now actually yelled at him. "We all try to be nice to you because girlfriend left. But you only get more angry. I don't like you angry so I try to help and make you happy again. But you only get more angry at me."

Javier had trouble to formulate an appropriate reply to this outburst. This whole thing didn't make the least amount of sense and got more upsetting with each passing moment. "Maybe this is a cultural thing but usually when you kiss someone and tell them that you like them, it means..."

Out of nowhere Yuzuru punched him in the shoulder so hard that it actually hurt. "It was only kiss, idiot. It must not mean anything. It only means something because you keep pushing me about it."

"So now it's my fault again?"

"It's not my fault that you are idiot. It was only kiss. Get over it."

Javier didn't know what to say or do when Yuzuru simply pushed him aside and walked around the corner. He waited a few moments before he slowly followed him onto the rink. In their absence some changes had been made to the choreography for one of the group numbers. Javier received a sheet with his new instructions. He skated around from one point to the other, got yelled at by some people from time to time because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He didn't really care, his mind was in a very different place right now. Maybe Yuzuru was right, maybe he was overthinking this. It was probably his own fault to turn a harmless kiss into something that it wasn't. It was nothing more than a silly bet. He should just pretend that it had never happened, it really didn't have to mean or change anything. 

Javier almost fell over when Kanako suddenly came out of nowhere, grabbed him by the arm and pulled him along with her. "Hey, stupid. New choreography. You have to be with us over there."

"I'm coming, you can go away now." Javier tried to shove her away, but he had to push her harder than he'd thought to get rid of her.

"Hey, I only help you."

"Seriously, go away, I'm not in the mood."

"We all knooooowwwww that you're in a moooooood," Kanako squawked at him. "That's why I send Yuzu for help."

"Thank you, great help, you made things worse."

"How? The bet is still on, he didn't do it yet."

"Yes, dammit, he did. I told you so."

"I don't believe you."

"I don't care if you believe me."

"You should care because I'll keep asking."

"Let it go already."

"Never!"

Javier clenched his fists and pressed them against his thighs because he really felt like striking her. "What do I have to do to make you shut up?"

"You know what you have to do."

"But he already did it."

"I don't believe until I see."

Javier held his breath and glared at the grinning girl in front of him as if she were evil incarnate. But suddenly and seemingly for no reason at all, the expression on his face changed. "You know what? Fine!" He looked around, saw Yuzuru standing not far away from their position and skated over to him. Javier took Yuzuru's face between his hands and planted a long, firm kiss on his lips. It lasted just a tad longer than he would've liked because as soon as their lips had touched, Yuzuru's fingers had grabbed Javier's shirt, pulling him closer and not letting go. A soft gasp escaped Yuzuru's throat when their lips parted, but he had no time to react because Javier had already turned around again and was now yelling in Kanako's direction. "Happy now?" But his words got drowned by the arising sea of cheers and frantic applause created by all the other skaters around them.

"You go, guys!"  
"Hey, Alex, did you get that on camera?"  
"Get a room, you two."  
"I call dibs on the Spaniard."  
"I'm next."  
"No, I am, you get in line."  
"Do it again, I want to take a picture."

Javier wasn't quite sure if he was supposed to feel embarrassed or not, but he didn't actually listen to any of those comments that were made around him. He just stared at Kanako who was standing there silently, waving playfully and with a triumphant smile on her face. Javier had already heard Yuzuru's skates on the ice behind him before he came to a stop in front of him. 

"Soooo, kiss is no longer secret, yes?"

"You think?" Javier snorted and immediately felt bad for it when he saw the look on Yuzuru's face. "Sorry," he added quietly.

"Why did you do that?"

"Because that little..." He was already on the brink of yelling again and had to calm himself down. "Because she wouldn't shut up about it. Maybe now she will." Yuzuru didn't say anything and only slightly tilted his head. "You were right," Javier tried to explain himself. "It doesn't mean anything, I was an idiot. I'm sorry, I'll try to be less of an ass from now on." He still didn't get an answer. "So... we're good, right?"

Yuzuru slowly put his head back and stared at the ceiling. He had to narrow his eyes after a while because the bright spotlights blinded him, but eventually he nodded. "We're good," he said with a faint smile and skated away.

 

At night Javier didn't go back to the hotel right after the show but decided to take a walk. He needed some fresh air. And some quiet. Never before in his life had he heard so many stupid comments about anything he'd ever done. But pretty soon he realized that being alone with his thoughts was even worse than being pestered by other people. When Javier got back to his room Alex was of course already there. Although judging by his outfit he wouldn't be there for much longer and was about to go out. Unlike all the others this morning, Alex hadn't broken out into giggles or started to tease him mercilessly. He was the only one to leave him alone. But the look on his face said that those happier times were about to be over.

"Don't say it," Javier warned him before Alex could even open his mouth.

"I didn't say anything."

"You were thinking it."

"Yeah, I totally was." Alex was grinning from ear to ear. "So, when I ran into Yuzu last night in the hallway..."

"I told you not to say it."

"It's okay, I'm happy for you."

"Great, thanks. You can stop now. There's nothing to be happy about."

"Okay, man, just... promise me, if he comes over tonight while I'm out... put a sock on the door handle or something." Javier had no idea what Alex was talking about. "You know, just a little warning sign that I might not want to enter the room without knocking first."

"What do you think happened at the rink?" Javier asked shaking his head and pointing behind himself. "That was just because Yuzu made some stupid bet with Kanako and she wouldn't leave it alone."

"You don't have to be embarrassed if you..."

"Dude, it was just a stupid bet."

"Okay, whatever you say." Alex raised his hands in defense but couldn't wipe that grip off his face. "I guess you won't go out with us tonight?"

"I'm not really in the mood for clubbing."

"Suit yourself. I'm sure you have better things planned. Say hi to Yuzu for me, will you?"

Javier refrained from any further comment, it was useless anyway. But if people around him kept up with this kind of crap, he clearly saw a killing spree in his near future. Once Alex was gone Javier sat down on his bed and just stared at the wall across the room. That yellow wall color really was the most hideous thing he'd ever seen. His mind was completely blank but overflowing at the same time, and he had no idea how much time had passed when he was pulled out of his thoughts by a knock on the door. "What did you forget this time?" he growled as he dragged himself over to open up. But like yesterday, it wasn't Alex on the other side of the door. They didn't even say hello, they just looked at each other for a moment. A pretty long moment. One that wouldn't stop anytime soon.

"Can I come in?" Yuzuru finally asked and Javier stepped aside to let him pass. "I meet Alex in elevator. He ask me to tell you not to forget sock, please." Yuzuru shrugged his shoulders. "What did he mean?"

Javier rolled his eyes and sat back down on his bed. "Nothing, forget it."

They hadn't really talked since the incident this morning. They had done the show, interacted as much as the group numbers demanded, but that was about it. And now Yuzuru just stood there with his hands clasped behind his back, slightly wiggling his hips. "Practice was interesting," he then came out right away, skipping any polite preface one would've expected from him. "I think you made Kana shut up but now all the others talk." 

"Yeah, who cares?" Javier wasn't sure if he really meant what he'd just said. "If we keep the public kissing to a minimum, they'll soon find something new to gossip about."

Yuzuru had a really weird look on his face and seemed to be more interested in the wall behind Javier than in the man himself. "Okay, so... no more kissing then."

Javier nodded. "Glad we agree."

Yuzuru tilted his head and looked at him with a boyish smile. "But I can still give hugs, yes?" he asked and stretched out his long, delicate arms.

Javier rolled his eyes but couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from moving upwards. He stood up, nodded his approval and opened his arms. Yuzuru made a happy little jump, put his arms around Javier and pressed himself against the other man's body. Javier wrapped his arms around Yuzuru, ever so carefully. His slender body always felt so tiny, sometimes he was afraid he might just crush it. 

Javier was ready to back away but Yuzuru wouldn't let go of him. Since there was nowhere to go, Javier leaned his face against Yuzuru's head. He smelled like shampoo and something else. Javier closed his eyes and took a deep breath. As he exhaled, all the pressure and tension that had accumulated in his body seemed to flow away, and for the first time in weeks he felt truly at ease. Yuzuru gradually loosened his embrace but neither of them let go of the other. Javier could feel that Yuzuru was breathing a bit heavier than just a moment ago. Their cheeks touched lightly as they both slowly leaned back with their eyes half closed. When they were finally facing each other again, Javier was still so close to him that he could feel Yuzuru's breath blend with his own.

They had no idea how it happened or who initiated it this time, but suddenly they could both feel the other one's lips turn into a smile as they touched again. It was Yuzuru's silly bet that had started it all, but now it was Javier who gently slipped his tongue through Yuzuru's slightly parted lips. As his kiss got returned, Javier could feel his whole body wanting to push forward. He laid one arm around Yuzuru's waist, pressing him even closer to himself than he already was, and put the other hand on the back of his neck, holding it tightly so there was no way for him to escape. Yuzuru's fingers were searching for something to hold on to. But the way Javier was holding him he was barely able to move, so his hands could only clench the fabric of his shirt. Javier started to lose himself. No anger, no thinking, no pressure. All he felt was the touch of Yuzuru's full lips, the soft sensation of his tongue tenderly caressing his own, sending shivers down his spine and creating a tingling in his stomach that went all the way back to his head. Finally Yuzuru broke the kiss, pressed his face against Javier's cheek and whispered breathlessly, "You're squashing me."

"I'm sorry." Javier loosened his grip, but just enough so that Yuzuru could breathe again and lean back comfortably. There was an intimidating seriousness in his gaze, but only a split second later the kind sparkle had returned to his beautiful almond-shaped eyes.

"I'm not sorry this time," Yuzuru said with the most reassuring smile before he leaned forward to steal another kiss.

Javier couldn't suppress a smirk. "I thought we just said no more kissing."

"You started," Yuzuru giggled.

"I did not."

"Yes, you did."

Javier palmed Yuzuru's face with both hands. His own fingers felt like sandpaper against the perfect smoothness of his skin. He kissed him again, deep, lustful, more forceful than he did before. His hands wandered over Yuzuru's body, ended up on his lower back, again pushing the tiny frame closer to himself. Already wondering what the rest of his body might taste like, Javier ran his tongue down Yuzuru's neck, drawing a faint moan from his throat. But when Javier tried to pull up Yuzuru's shirt his hands were suddenly stopped. They looked at each other, both almost panting and struggling to catch their breath. With a smile Yuzuru shook his head and put one last sweet kiss on Javier's lips before he whispered something in Japanese into his ear. Javier couldn't recall if he'd ever heard any of those words before, but it didn't matter. He understood just by the tone of his voice.

"Will you stay here till Alex comes back?"

Yuzuru nodded slightly. "Yes, I stay." He kicked of his sneakers and laid down on the bed. Javier followed him, unsure as to what exactly he wanted or should do now, so Yuzuru finally just pulled him close into his arms. "You still look tired," he said while carefully caressing his back. "You sleep now."

Javier snuggled his face into Yuzuru's chest, which moved up and down steadily with every breath that he took. As he closed his eyes, he could still hear the beating of his heart and smell the scent of his warm body. "You won your silly bet," he mumbled already half asleep.

"Yes." Yuzuru gently ran his fingers through Javier's short hair. "I won."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sequel: ["The Truth"](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1686821/chapters/3586217)


End file.
